主日讀經反思　Sunday Scripture Meditation　(05/06/2011)

本主日讀經︰
宗徒大事錄　1:12-14
聖詠　27[26]:1,4,7-8
伯多祿前書　4:13-16
若望福音　17:1-11

默想︰

耶穌升天後，門徒沒有立即開始傳教，沒有立即施洗，亦沒有立即分派這樣那樣的工作，而是回了耶路撒冷，同心同德地專務祈禱，等候聖神降臨。福音告訴我們，永生就是認識天主；而認識天主就是要認識耶穌；要認識耶穌就要閱讀聖經和透過祈禱。在我們中間有哪一位是不需要祈禱的呢？

祈禱非輕而易舉的事，有些人也許很有祈禱天份，是屬靈健兒，但為大部分人來說，我們需要學習怎樣去祈禱，就像很多東西我們都需要透過學習，才懂得去做一樣。只要我們肯放時間和精力去學，每一個人都會學到，並能養成祈禱的習慣，同天主建立關係。

四部福音都有記載耶穌獨自祈禱。祂亦有到會堂和聖殿，跟團體一起祈禱。在今日的福音，及一些其他篇章，我們看到耶穌和家人或朋友一起祈禱。

主耶穌，我們要以祢為模範，我們需要獨自祈禱，亦需要與我們的好友及與教會一起祈禱，好讓聖神充滿我們，延續祢交託給我們的使命。


【摘自和平六月號】

Readings (Year A) page 61:
Acts 1:1-11;
Psalm 47: 2-3, 6-7, 8-9
Ephesians 1:17-23
Matthew 28:16-20

All three readings today mention power: the power Jesus has and the power believers receive through the Holy Spirit. We may try to domesticate power to mean control, authority or influence but real power is raw energy. Many electricians and people who work for power companies are electrocuted each year because they get careless with electricity and forget what it can do.

Prayer is our conduit to God. Prayer opens our hearts and lives to the fire of the Holy Spirit so we can be reservoirs of God's grace that spills out of our hearts and lives to others. Prayer is always effective. We do well to have a healthy respect for the power we tap into via our prayers. The first and foremost thing prayer always changes is us because through prayer God molds and reshapes us more closely into the image of Jesus.

In today's scripture Jesus passes the baton to the disciples. While they don't drop it, they don't immediately run with it either. The angels ask them why they are standing around looking up into the sky when they have work to do down off the mountain and among their people. They prudently wait in prayer for the coming of the Spirit so they might be united in heart and mind to Jesus and able to teach others to observe all he taught and commanded.

Lord, with Your grace may we through prayer throw open a direct circuit to You, God, and be empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry on the mission of Jesus as his body in the world today.

Shalom – Thoughts for Prayer